Wire inserting guide for wire connectors



' Dec. 19, 1967 J. w SCHOLZ WIRE INSERTING GUIDE FOR WIRE CONNECTORSOriginal Filed May 26, 1964 INVEN TOR. JULIAN W. SCHOLZ BY W n! ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,359,528 WIRE INSERTING GUIDE FOR WIRE CONNECTORSJulian W. Scholz, 6001 SE. Laurel St., Portland, Oreg. 97222Confinuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 370,165, May 26, 1964.This application Aug. 15, 1966, Ser. No.

3 Claims. (Cl. 339-65) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 370,165, filed May 26, 1964, andnow abandoned, for Wire Inserting Guide for Wire Connectors.

This invention relates to new and useful wire guide structures forconnectors.

It is common practice to use connectors for connecting wire endstogether, such connectors comprising a body portion and internalstructure which automatically grips the ends of the wire when the latterare inserted in end openings in the connector. The end openings whichreceive the wires usually are of limited size and it is extremelydifiicult to insert the wires into said end openings particularly whenthe wires are being handled by hot line tools.

It is a primary objective of the present invention, therefore, toprovide guide means adapted for mounting adjacent the end openings ofconnectors and adapted to assist in guiding a wire into the connector.

It is another object to provide a guide for wire connectors which isconstructed of transparent material in order to view an insertingfunction of the wire ends thereinto.

It is still another object to provide a guide for wire connectors whichis adapted for mounting on the connectors but which is adapted to bebroken off to rid the connector of such guide means after the wires areinserted in the connector.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a guide member having a centralbore at least as large as the wire to be inserted in a connector andhaving a first socket end adapted to fit on the end of a connector. Theopposite end of the guide, comprising a second socket end, receives andguides a wire into the connector. The outer end of the socket isconsiderably larger than the diameter of the wire in order that only anapproximate position of the wire need be obtained while initiallyinserting it into the guide.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects willbecome apparent from the following specification and claims, consideredtogether with the accompanying drawings, wherein the numerals ofreference indicate like parts and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a wire connector showing thepresent guide associated therewith, this view being principally insection;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary elevational view also showing the presentguide on a connector and showing structure of the guide facilitatingremoval of the latter from the connector; and

FIGURE 3 is a criss sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

With particular reference first to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a connectorwith which the present guide may be used is designated by the numeral10. This connector is hollow and has opposite end openings 12 thediameter of which is somewhat smaller than the interior diameter of theconnector adjacent such open end, thus forming shoulder portions 14. Theend portions 15 of the connector are tapered to a smaller diameter thanthe central portion, and incorporated within the connector are two setsof slidable, toothed jaws 16 adapted for clamping engagement with wireends 18. Confined within the connector is a compression spring 20. Theopposite ends of this spring engage the spaced sets of jaws 16 fornormally urging the latter toward the tapered ends of the connector.

Thus, to connect a pair of wires together the ends are insertedforcefully into opposite ends of the connector. As the wire ends moveinwardly they pass through the jaws 16. Since the jaws are biased towardthe ends of the counector by the spring 20 they will remain insubstantial engagement with the wire ends 18, and as soon as the latterare released the jaws 16 in moving outwardly therewith are compressedtogether by reason of the tapered construction of the connector toaccomplish a positive grip on the wires.

The present invention is designated by the numeral 22 and comprises aguide adapted for mounting on the ends of connector 10 to facilitateeasy insertion of the wires 18 into said connector. The present guide 22comprises a body portion having a central longitudinal bore 24 andoppositely directed end sockets 26 and 28.

Socket 26 is of selected shape and size to receive the end of theconnector for attachment of the guide to said connector. In a preferredconstruction the attachment of guide 22 to the connector is accomplishedmerely by frictionally attaching it thereto in order that a permanentconnection be not made, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The end socket 28 is tapered outwardly and leads directly into thecentral bore 24. The outer end of the socket, in a preferredconstruction, is substantially larger than the diameter of the wire 18.This facilitates easy insertion of the wire into the connector even ifhandled by hot line tools.

It is customary for the lineman to partially insert the wire ends andthen to forcefully and rapidly move the wires inwardly toward eachother. The use of the present guide assists in this function since thesocket 28 lengthens the distance through which the wire ends may travelin their forceful movement into the connector. A more pasitiveconnection is thus possible.

The present guide preferably is constructed of a transparent materialsuch as glass or suitable plastic in order that the lineman can see theends of the Wire 18 move into the socket 28.

With reference now particularly to FIGURES 2 and 3, the guide 22 haslongitudinal slots 30 leading from the wire receiving socket end. Theseslots weaken the guide and permit it to be fractured by a poundinginstrument to provide for removal from the connector and wire. That is,after the guide has served its function of assisting in the insertion ofwire 18 in the connector it may thereafter comprise an obstruction uponthe wire .and preferably is removed. By constructing the guide 22 of amaterial which may be shattered by impact, such as a'hard plastic, andby providing weakening slots 30, the lineman can remove the guide merelyby hitting it with a hammer.

Thus as stated hereinbefore it is desirable that the guide have only afriction connection with the connector 10 or if it is desired that it beheld a little more positively, then one or more spot areas of gluebetween the connector and guide may suflice. In either case, the guideis removed by breaking it 01f.

In a preferred construction, and as shown in the drawings, the slots 30extend only partially through the thickness of the guide wall, the depthof said slots being sufficient to weaken the guide in order that thelatter may be broken off. These slots may be deeper than shown, however,or in fact may extend all the way through the thickness of the guidewall.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A wire guide for a connector adapted to receive a Wire through an endopening therein, said guide being made of breakable material and havinga central bore for slidably receiving a wire to be inserted into saidconnector, means defining a socket on one end of said guide for fittingover one end of a connector, frictionally connecting itself to aconnector With said bore aligned with the end opening of the connector,and means defining an outwardly tapered socket on the other end of saidguide leading into said central bore for guiding a wire into said bore.

2. A wire guide for a connector adapted to receive a wire through an endopening therein, said guide having a central bore for slidably receivinga Wire to be inserted into said connector, means on one end of saidguide for connecting said guide to a connector with said bore alignedwith the end opening of the connector, and means defining an outwardlytapered socket on the other end of said guide leading into said centralbore for guiding a wire into said bore, said guide being constructed ofa breakable material facilitating removal of the guide from a connectorby impact.

3. The wire guide of claim 2 including weakened areas in said guide tofacilitate breaking.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,166,457 7/1939 Berndt 24-81.352,177,364 10/1939 Fotsch 24-8135 3,105,655 10/1963 Park et al. 242118.7

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

J. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A WIRE GUIDE FOR A CONNECTOR ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A WIRE THROUGH AN ENDOPENING THEREIN, SAID GUIDE BEING MADE OF BREAKABLE MATERIAL AND HAVINGA CENTRAL BORE FOR SLIDABLY RECEIVING A WIRE TO BE INSERTED INTO SAIDCONNECTOR, MEANS DEFINING A SOCKET ON ONE END OF SAID GUIDE FOR FITTINGOVER ONE END OF A CONNECTOR, FRICTIONALLY CONNECTING ITSELF TO ACONNECTOR WITH SAID BORE ALIGNED WITH THE END OPENING OF THE CONNECTOR,AND MEANS DEFINING AN OUTWARDLY TAPERED SOCKET ON THE OTHER END OF SAIDGUIDE LEADING INTO SAID CENTRAL BORE FOR GUIDING A WIRE INTO SAID BORE.